Elements of Geography, Modern and Ancient with a Modern and an Ancient Atlas

TEXAS.

1. This country, which formerly constitu.ed a part of the republic of Mexico, but was declared independent in 1936, is situated between Louisiana and Mexico, lying north of the gulf of Mexico.

2. The principal rivers are the Trinity, Brassos, Colorä'do, and Guä laloupe.

3. The face of the country towards the gulf of Mexico is low and level; towards the north diversified ; and there are extensive prairies.

4. The climate is represented as generally mild and healthful; much of the soil fertile, and well adapted to cotton, sugar-cane, rice, Indian corn, tobacco, indigo, sweet potatoes, and, in some parts, wheat and rye.

5. Most of the inhabitants are emigrants from the United States; but the country is very little inhabited, and there are no large towns.

6. Some of the principal towns are AUSTIN, on the Colorado, laid out in 1839, the seat of government; Houston, Galvezlon, Brazoria, Nacodoches, and Velasco.

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][graphic]

TEXAS. 1. What is said of Texas? 2 Rivers? 3. Surface? 4. Climate, soil and productions? 5. Inhabitants? 6. Towns!

See Maps of North America and U. S.-How is Texas situnted? What rivers are there? How is Houston situated? Brazoria Nacodoches? Bexar?

1. Mexico, a country of great extent, and exceedingly rich both in mineral and vegetable productions, was for three centuries a very important province of Spain; but it is now an independent republic.

2. Its most remarkable natural feature is its great elevation. The lands are low on both coasts; and from each there is a gradual rise, till the country attains the height of from 6,000 to 8,000 feet, when it spreads out into immense plains called table land.

3. The country is traversed by a chain of mountains called the Cordilleras of Mexico, which are regarded as a part of the great range which takes the name of the Rocky Mountains further north, and that of the Andes in South America.

4. Some of the mountains of this range are volcanic, and many of them are always covered with snow. Two of the most remarkable summits are the volcanoes Popocatepetl and Oriza'ba.

5. Jorul'lo is a famous volcanic mountain, which burst out from a plain, in 1757, and rose to the height of nearly 1,700 feet.

6. Mexico suffers, in many parts, for the want of water and navigable rivers. The three largest are the Del Norte, Col-o-ra'do, and Buê-na-ven-tu'ra (bwa-na-ven-too'ra), all of which flow through the most uncultivated parts of the country, and are therefore of little use to commerce.

7. Mexico has two remarkable peninsulas, California, in the west, which is about 900 miles long, but possesses very few inhabitants; and Yucatan', in the southeast, which is noted for mahogany.

8. The climate on the coasts is hot and unhealthy; on the table lands, it is generally mild and salubrious; but on the highest of them it is cold, even south of the tropic of Cancer.

9. A large part of the country has a very fertile soil; though much of the high table land is barren.

10. The kind of grain which most abounds in Mexico is maize. The agave, which yields a liquor called pulque, is extensively cultivated; also sugar, indigo, tobacco, cotton, cochineal, and various kinds of fruit and grain.

11. Mexico is celebrated for its silver mines, which are the richest in the world, and have for a long time produced

MEXICO. 1. What is said of Mexico? 2. What is its most remarkable natural feature? 3. What mountains?

4. What is said of the summits? 5. Jorullo? 6. Rivers? 7 Peninsulas ? 8. Climate? 9. Soil? 10. Productions Mines?

annually ten times as much silver as all the mines in Eu rope. Some of these mines are regarded as curiosities and one of them is excavated 8 miles in length, and 1,640 feet in depth.

12. Some religious monuments of the ancient Mexicans are still to be seen in the country, of which the most celebrated is the Pyramid of Cholula. It is constructed of unburnt bricks, consisting of four stories or terraces, with a base of 1,423 feet broad, and is 177 feet high.

13. MEXICO, the capital, is situated near a lake, in a beautiful valley, elevated almost 7,500 feet above the level of the ocean, and surrounded by naked and majestic mountains. It is remarkable for the regularity and width of its streets, for the splendor of its edifices, and for the largest mint in the world.

14. Puebla is a regular and beautiful city, the second in population, and is finely situated on a plain, nearly as elevated as that of Mexico; Guadalaxä'ra (guäd-a-la-hä'ra) and Queretaro are also large and handsome towns.

15. Guanaxuato (gwän-a-hwä'to) and Zacalê'cas are famous for their rich silver mines; and Xalapa or Jalä'pa, for giving name to the medicinal root called jalap.

16. Mexico has but few good harbors; some of the best and most frequented are Vera Cruz' and Tampico on the gulf of Mexico, and Acapul'co and San Blas on the Pacific ocean. Vera Cruz is the port through which most of the commerce between Mexico and Europe has been carried

on.

17. Less than one quarter of the inhabitants of Mexico are whites; more than a third consist of subdued Indians, and about as many of mixed races. The only religion tolerated is the Catholic.

12. What is said of the Pyramid of Cholula? 13. Mexico? 14. Puebla, &c.? 15. What other towns, and for what noted? 16. What is said of the harbors? 17. Inhabitants?

See Map of North America. How is Mexico bounded? How is California situated? Yucatan? The gulf of Mexico? Gulf of California? Gulf of Tehuan'tepec? Campeachy bay? What rivers flow into the gulf of Mexico? What ones into the gulf of California? What ones into the Pacific ocean? How is Orizaba mountain situated? What mountains extend north? In what part of Mexico are most of the principal towns? How is the city of Mexico situated? Puebla? Zacatecas? Vera Cruz? Acapulco? Tampico ? Santa Fe? San Blas? Guadalaxara? Cholula? Durango? Cinaloa? Guaxaca (gwa-hä'ca)? What towns in the neigh borhood of Mexico?

18 In 1521, the Spaniards under Cortez subdued Mexico, which was, at that time, under the government of the emperor Montezuma; and, in 1821, the Mexicans declared themselves independent of Spain.

GUATEMALA, OR CENTRAL AMERICA.

1. Guätemä'la consists of a long isthmus, forming the southernmost part of North America, and lying between the Caribbean sea and the Pacific ocean. It was formerly subject to Spain, but was declared independent in 1821; and it has since been named, from its situation, the Republic of Central America.

2. The country is extremely mountainous, and has many volcanoes, some of which are liable to frequent eruptions; and it is much subject to earthquakes.

3. The soil is very fertile; the productions similar to those of Mexico; and the part of the country bordering on the bay of Honduras is celebrated for mahogany and logwood.

4. The climate is very various; on the coast and low country, hot and unhealthy; in the elevated parts, agreeable; on the mountains, cold.

5. The rivers are numerous, and often partake of the nature of torrents, but are not large. — The principal lake is that of Nicarä'gua.

6. GUATEMALA, the capital, is situated near the Pacific ocean, and has a good harbor, and some magnificent edifices.

7. Some of the other principal towns are San Salvador, Chiquimu'la, Leon', Carlä'go, and Chiä'pa; also Omo'a, noted & a port.

8. BALîZE' is an English settlement on the bay of Honduras, and is noted for its trade in mahogany.

18. What notice of the history?

GUATEMALA - 1. What is said of Guatemala? 2. What is said of the country? 3. Soil? 4. Climate?

5. What is said of the rivers? 6. The city of Guatemala? 7. What other towns? 8. What of Balize?

The

See Map of North America. How is Guatemala bounded? How is the hay of Honduras situated? Lake Nicaragua ? Mosquito Shore? The city of Guatemala? Chiapa? Leon? Omoa? Balize? Chiquimula? San Salvador? Cartago›

WEST INDIES.

1. The West Indies consist of a long chain of islands, lying between North and South America, and extending from the coast of Florida to the mouth of the Orinoco; the Bahama Islands being the most northern, and Trinidad and Margarita the most southern.

TABULAR VIEW OF THE PRINCIPAL WEST INDIA ISLANDS.